Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, some of them were on holidays when they were asked to take on a special class, but I am glad the Minister has invoked that power to require schools to open new special classes and used it. We will work with the principals and boards of management to allay their concerns about taking on additional special classes.

Where I differ with the Deputy is that I do not think global figures should be dismissed so sanguinely. Figures are facts and behind those numbers there are real children. There are now 10,000 children in this country in a special class. That is three times the number eight short years ago. There are 15,000 special needs assistants, as many as we have gardaí, and 13,000 special educational needs teachers. That is a dramatic improvement, a trebling of services for people with special educational needs on eight years ago. There is an increase in demand but it has not trebled.

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